Johnson Gakumba, the Bishop of Northern Uganda, says that there are also other schools in Amuru, Omoro and Nwoya districts whose ownership is being contested by either the churches or the communities. He asks religious leaders to join hands to resolve the disputes amicably.
Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema, the head of the State House Anti
–Corruption Unit has opened investigations into the ownership of 70 primary and secondary schools
in Acholi and Lango Sub –Regions. The move
follows the long-standing conflicts between the Church of
Uganda, Roman Catholic Church and Communities over the true ownership of the schools in question.
The investigations cover 28 schools in Lamwo district, 14 in Lira, 11 in Pader, 5
in Kitgum, 4 in Dokolo, 3 in Agago, 3 in Aleptong and 2 in Otuke. Some of the contested schools are Lakongela
Primary School in Orom Sub –County in Kitgum district being claimed by both the
Catholic Church and the Church of Uganda, Lakwo Primary School in Lagoro Sub
–County in Kitgum district being claimed by both Community and the Church of
Uganda and Lutini Primary School in Puranga Sub –County in Pader district being
claimed by both the Catholic Church and the Community.
Others are Amuku Secondary School, Amuku Agro
–technical Institute and Akibua Comprehensive Secondary School all in Ateptong
district, among others. Fred Owot, the Kitgum District Education Officer, says that all schools in question
were coded in the early 2,000 as community founded but with time, the
Catholic Church and the Church of Uganda started claiming ownership.
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Esther Aryemo, the Agago District Education
Officer revealed that they register conflicts on
the ownership of the schools whenever they try to put in place new
school management committees and board of governors.
According to Aryemo, the conflicts making it very
hard for them to run the schools due to the constant interference by the purported foundation bodies. She calls for immediate government intervention
before schools re–open early next year.
Johnson Gakumba, the Bishop of Northern Uganda, says that there are also other schools in Amuru, Omoro
and Nwoya districts whose ownership
is being contested by either the churches or the communities. He asks religious leaders to join hands to resolve the disputes amicably.
Gakumba also appealed to Chief Administrative
Officers to reign on headteachers who normally alter the founding bodies
of the schools during school census conducted by the Education Ministry hence
causing conflict.
On Tuesday, Edith Nakalema convened a fact-finding
meeting with top clerics of the
Anglican and Catholic Church in Lango and
Acholi Sub –Regions, Chief Administrative Officers and District Education
Officer of the affected districts at
Comboni Samaritan Animation Center at Gulu Archdiocese in Gulu City.
In the meeting, Nakalema ordered detectives to
commence prosecution led investigations on the rightful founding bodies of the
contested schools.
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Nakalema also gave the team from the Directorate of Basic and
Secondary Education under the Ministry of Education and Sports until November
16th to produce a report on the current status of the schools being contested
by churches and the community.
Jesse Johnson James
Freelancer